Rolling soil probe

Abstract

A rolling soil probe which may be pulled by a tractor or a truck or mounted on a trailer. The rolling soil probe includes a rotatable square wheel having four sides, each of which has a soil probe extending outwardly therefrom.

I claim: 
     
       1. A wheel for a rolling soil probe, comprising:
 a hub member configured to rotate about an axis, the axis extending in an axial direction; 
 a plurality of planar plates coupled to a periphery of the hub member and extending in the axial direction such that the plurality of planar plates and the hub member define a cavity and an opening to the cavity that is distal from the hub member, wherein the plurality of planar plates define a rim configured for rolling on a ground surface, wherein each planar plate is coupled directly adjacent to another planar plate among the plurality of planar plates; 
 at least one elongated soil probe coupled to at least one planar plate among the plurality of planar plates, the at least one elongated soil probe having a first end and a second end, the at least one elongated soil probe configured to receive a soil sample at the first end and configured to discharge the soil sample at the second end. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a soil sample collection container located within the cavity. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the soil sample collection container is configured to receive the soil sample discharged from the at least one elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongated soil probe further comprises an elongated hollow body portion coupled with a hollow probe tip, the hollow probe tip configured to penetrate the ground surface and receive the soil sample within the hollow probe tip. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the hollow probe tip includes an open end that has an inside diameter that is less than an inside diameter of the elongated hollow body portion. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the hollow probe tip has a truncated conical-shaped tip. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each planar plate among the plurality of planar plates is coupled to a respective elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongated soil probe extends through the at least one planar plate. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one planar plate further comprises a hole defined by the at least one planar plate configured to receive the soil sample from the at least one elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       10. A wheel for a rolling soil probe, comprising:
 a hub member configured to rotate about an axis, the axis extending in an axial direction; 
 a set of four planar plates coupled to a periphery of the hub member and extending in the axial direction such that the set of four planar plates and the hub member define a cavity and an opening to the cavity that is distal from the hub member, wherein the set of four planar plates define a rim configured for rolling on a ground surface, wherein each planar plate is coupled directly adjacent to another planar plate among the set of four planar plates; 
 a set of four elongated soil probes coupled respectively to the set of four planar plates, the set of four elongated soil probes each having a first end and a second end, the set of our elongated soil probes each configured to receive a soil sample at the first end and configured to discharge the soil sample at the second end. 
 
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a soil sample collection container located within the cavity. 
     
     
       12. The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the soil sample collection container is configured to receive the soil sample discharged from the at least one elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one elongated soil probe further comprises an elongated hollow body portion coupled with a hollow probe tip, the hollow probe tip configured to penetrate the ground surface and receive the soil sample within the hollow probe tip. 
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hollow probe tip includes an open end that has an inside diameter that is less than an inside diameter of the elongated hollow body portion. 
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hollow probe tip has a truncated conical-shaped tip. 
     
     
       16. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein each planar plate among the plurality of planar plates is coupled to a respective elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       17. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one elongated soil probe extends through the at least one planar plate. 
     
     
       18. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one planar plate further comprises a hole defined by the at least one planar plate configured to receive the soil sample from the at least one elongated soil probe. 
     
     
       19. A wheel for a rolling soil probe, comprising:
 a hub member configured to rotate about an axis, the axis extending in an axial direction; 
 a rim coupled to the periphery of the hub member configured for rolling on a ground surface, the rim defining a radius extending from the axis to an outer periphery of the rim, the rim partially defined by at least one planar plate that extends in the axial direction and extending between two points, each point at the radius of the outer periphery of the rim so that the at least one planar plate of the rim between the two points defines a flat surface that strikes the ground surface during rotation of the wheel to thereby discharge the soil sample from the elongated soil probe, wherein the rim and the hub member define a cavity and an opening to the cavity that is distal from the hub member; and 
 at least one elongated soil probe coupled to the rim and opposite across the wheel from the at least one planar plate, the at least one elongated soil probe having a first end and a second end, the at least one elongated soil probe configured to receive a soil sample at the first end and configured to discharge the soil sample at the second end. 
 
     
     
       20. The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one elongated soil probe extends through the rim such that the second end is located within the cavity.